tilliejam62

Holly - Thanks so much for sharing the pictures. His work is sooooooooooooo fascinating and I look at any and everything that comes on TV or the internet that I am aware of about him. I watch PBS (Public Television) documentaries, current and re-runs about him over and over again. I love this piece. It would look great I my living room (real life living room)

Cloudbound: Your house and all the furnishings and décor are absolutely fabulous - you did a fantastic job on it. I too, like NellBell, KathieB and Havanaholly, am a Dale Chihuly fan and your master bedroom ceiling fixture will surely impress him a lot and the fact that we're all talking about him here on this forum, and that you're immolating his work in 1:48 scale miniatures. The hookah smoking Caterpillar and Cheshire Cat from Alice In Wonderland stuff is hilarious. LOL

Thanks so much Bobbie for you kind compliment.

Thanks - I've read it and I will check them out.

Thanks-a-bunch Holly. They are so simple to make. The challenging part is waiting for sales, discounts & coupons on miniatures from Miniatures.com Hobby Builders.

Thank you all for your kind words & compliments. They all were very much appreciated.

Thank you Rebecca - I enjoy making them. So far I've completed 6 of them and preparing for a 7th. I included a pair of working wall sconces on the 6th one but I gave it away before I took a photo of it with the lights on. I'll be sure to take a photo of the 7th with the lights on next time.

Lately I've been creating these vignettes using real wooden cutting or chopping boards using 1 inch scale, kitchen-related minis. I got the inspiration to do these from Pinterest and I give them as gifts to friends and acquaintances:

Yes - I too believe you should test with a small piece of the wood used for the floor with a coat of Mod Podge then a coat of the polyureathane.

I purchased from them on Ebay and it was a very good, smooth transaction. I purchased two LED blinking neon signs and the price was excellent compared to other vendors for those type of lights. I was very satisfied with the purchase.

Thank you Kathie. I just started working on a smaller aquarium (10 gallon) room box - the third one I've done so far.

The blue n white ceramic pieces I purchased from you are sitting atop the bookcase. You can barely see them - sorry. All the furniture, except the book case, table lamps & plant stand in the background with the roses is Lees Line from you.

Grazhina: I just adore the Inglenook room box. I prefer warm, cozy interiors like Inglenook. Great job you did on it. I noticed some little blue n white china/ceramic pieces which I love as well both in real-life and in miniature. I remember a while back I ordered some blue n white ceramic pieces from your shop and also some Lees Line furniture all of which were included in the attached photo of a living room built in a 20 gallon aquarium.

Follow-up to the artist, James E. Opher in Richmond, VA and the newspaper article about him shared by MiniMaven. Here is a link to a YouTube video about a show and exhibit that he shared in last month in Fredericksburg, VA which the newspaper article also mentioned. If the link does not work then you can look-up the video on YouTube - it's entitled, Wee Christmas - 2017 Dollhouse and Miniatures. The video runs very quickly and is very short but you can get to see Mr. Opher's movie theater in action; showing the movie, It's A Wonderful Life in its entirety on its screen. I have been in touch with him several times and look fwd to seeing his creations in person. He not only makes miniatures but he restores/renovate dollhouses. Link below: http://youtu.be/dr8KXP.vT50

The vehicles used for dioramas are limitless. You probably have something in your household perfect for building a miniature vignette or room box scene in. Take a look at the Pinterest website and see the thousands of miniature anything you can think of for great inspiration.

Dioramas can be built in a variety of ways, not just in room boxes. I have done them on a simple piece of wood then cover with an inexpensive fish aquarium (Walmart - $13.00 for a 10 gallon tank). The tank is turned upside down over the display and I electrify them also. The first 2 photos are 20 gallon tanks from Walmart at the time cost only $9.99. The third photo is the 10 gallon tank in which I am building a little girl's baby nursery as a gift for my great granddaughter.

I just completed a life-size table lamp with the base made from five 5" X 7" photo frames with a little girl's nursery built inside. A brass plate with my one and only great granddaughter's first name and birth date was added to commemorate her birth (my personal keepsake). Also I've just finished collecting all the furnishings and architectural components for a little girl's baby nursery to be built in a 10 gallon aquarium that I've just recently started. A brass plate with my GG's name & birth date was also added and will be a gift to her. Those are just a few of the items that will be included in the room box.

I wish I could be a the recipient too Linda but notice that much of the items in his storehouse is massive. The article even brought that out in so many words, I bearly have room in my apartment for my own stuff. LOL I am dying to see that theater. Our group member, Margaret S. saw it and said that on the stage the movie screen actually shows the movie, "Its A Wonderful Life" - awesome.

Hey MiniMaven: Is your friend here in VA Margaret Severson from Alexandria, VA? She is the member of my online, mini trash to treasure group who knows Mr. Orpher and is exhibiting her work in Fredericksburg, VA this month along with Orpher.

rI sent a message to Mr. Orpher right after I read the news article you posted MiniMaven and received a response today. The photos in the article didn't really show his work very clearly, in other words, did not do him justice and I really didn't see much of it on his Facebook Page. I am anxious to see his creations up close and personal and since he lives here in Richmond too I might get that chance sooner than later. He told me he belongs to a miniature group that meet the first Sunday of each month and invited me to check it out.. I invited him to check our online, trash to treasure mini forum. I raved about Orpher and shared the article with my group and many were blown away. Your friend down here in VA belongs to that forum does she not? I have to go back and check her name. The news article mentioned an exhibit being held in Fredericksburg, VA starting yesterday, the 3rd through the 30th and also a few days in January where she will be displaying her work and so will he. She told our mini forum about the fabulous old, historical movie theater he created (you can see it somewhat in the photo of him in the news article where he is sitting in front of it). Also there are photos of the ticket booth he made from an old trophy and a photo of some of the theater chairs. There is an old, historical movie theater here in Richmond that looks more like a museum inside and it is a Virginia historical landmark well over 80 years old but still a thriving movie theater. I Saw a movie there once. I really think Orpher fashioned his mini theater after that theater, The Byrd Theater. I will ask him the next time I write him. Its gorgeous inside. Some times after the movies run, a massive organ rises from under the stage floor while the organist plays music. Notice in the article there is a photo of a mini organ next to a stage.

Thank you Holly

Holly - the silhouettes are tiny, flat, metal plaques with an enamel-like finish and are very, very inexpensive, are sold as a pair but still dirt cheap. I paid no more than $2.00 or $3.00 per pair. I recently purchased a pair (from where I do not recall) of a little girl & boy for the little girl's nursery setting built in the life-size lamp base mentioned above which I will post a photo of at a later date. If you scroll up to the photos of the coat tree I made with the little pink & white dress hanging on it, etc. - these are photos of that nursery setting but not within the base yet. Those silhouettes are hanging on the wall of that scene.

From a seller on Ebay. I've. also seen them in online mini shops. So sorry, but I do not remember any of their names. I will look-out for them and write down the shop names for you.

Thank you Nell. That coat tree with the little pink n white dress hanging on it went into a life-size lamp base with a little girl's nursery setting built inside was to commemorate the birth of my very first GREAT GRANDCHILD. I just ordered a brass name plate with her name and birth date and when it arrives I will place it on the lamp base, take photos and share it with you all. My great granddaughter is almost 2 years old and just became big sister to my very first GREAT GRANDSON on November 20th. That's why I purchased the large bear head beads in blue along with the pink ones.

The life-size lamp base with a mini room setting built inside was made with five 5" X 7" photo frames. I found the idea in a miniature magazine but I have adjusted the original a bit to my liking. I just completed another lamp that is electrified (mini light fixtures & lamps). I will post a photo of it at a later date.